580C vs 680H

[n175h]

Hi folks,

I'm a newbie and looking for a hoe. From reading the forums I like Case the best. I found a 1981 680H with a 20k trailer included for $12k. I couldn't find much anything about the 680 series. The 580 is the most popular series and for the same vintage is close if not higher in price.

Anyone have any opininon on the 680? It must have a lot more grunt than the 580 because it weighs about 3000lbs more.

Thanks for the help.

David

 

[VitaBene]

The 680 is a monster, reminds me of an old Dynahoe. It is burly but I prefer a 580 series (E or up).

I had a 580K 4x4. We bought it used with 2600 and sold it with 5K or so 5 years later. I still miss that machine.

If you will be digging get one with an extendahoe. Case does have a pretty crazy stick setup for the hoe-4 center sticks 3 smaller on the outside for the extendahoe and stabilizers and foot pedals for swinging the boom. I could get on a Case 10 years later and dig a decent hole but I have never been able to "get" the standard 2 stick hoe configuration after operating a Case so beware!

 

[farmall 560]

Never been around a 680 just 580's . Just keep in mind a 680 being that much bigger (3000lbs) manuverability in soft ground and tight places will be more of a pita at times. Also I don't think an extendahoe is a necessity for digging . Just my opinion.

 

[Wis Bang]

Back in the 70's, I worked for a company that had four 580's and one 780. It was a monster. Everything was oversize and I'd bet the parts were scarcer and more expensive than the 580. It worked just as hard as the 580's

 

[wrangler6831]

If I remember correctly when I worked for Case in the early 90's the 680's and 780's were European made and sometimes hard to get parts for. Personally I'd stick with the 580. Those machines are tried and true and parts are plentiful. If you want an honest opinion stop by your local dealer and talk to the parts guys. They have nothing to gain or lose and will be brutily honest about parts availibilty and price. Plus this time of year they would be glad to stand and B.S. a bit!


Rich

 

[rexcramer]

I had a 580 for five years and they are very very durable machines. Also parts are readily available and there is nothing on that machine that you cannot fix yourself if you have some tools and a welder. The reason the 680 costs the same as the 580 is because there is no demand for them and no resale. Yes they are bigger but they are not as dependable as the 580 and the parts are not nearly as common.

I would only consider an extendahoe, the extend feature is one of the features you will use more than any other, and is one of the most powerful operations the machine can do.

Whatever you buy be sure to budget about 500 bucks for seal kits, hoses, bushings, pins, and zerks and you wont be surprised

 

[n175h]

Thanks for the info. I'll keep looking for a 580, preferably a K model. Prices are all over the place. Other than time fatigued seals and o rings, year model doesn't seem as important as hours used, and it is difficult to get the real use hours. "The meter broke." I see that a lot.

David

 

[rexcramer]

The 580E is my favorite model, you can get 4wd and the machine is still easy to fix and parts are cheap. For instance you can get a hydraulic pump for a 580E for $500, a 580K pump will run you over $2000 and be a much more difficult repair. Also the brakes, electronics, etc are a lot more sophisticated.

Of course the K model is faster and more powerful

 

[GE222]

I would suggest staying with the 580 series. There are so many of them out there, providing an endless source of used parts. Case sold a lot of them because they were a good machine.

I currently own a 580CK with a Sims cab,which is a pretty old machine. It is unique in that it doesn't have a backhoe. Instead, it has a PTO and 3-point. As a result, the rear end is very light. I have fluid in the rears, two sets of wheel weights, a 7' industrial rear blade with 200lbs of weight hanging on the blade , and 200+ lbs of heavy chains on the back as well. I have two more sets of wheel weights that I want to add also.

It also has a gas engine. The gas engine uses a lot of fuel, but on the other hand, on a 0ｰF morning, I can turn the key, and the engine immediately fires right up.

I have hundreds of hours on a 580C, and a bunch on a 580K. I have also run a John Deere 310 many times. Each machine has their quirks.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Never been around a 680 just 580's . Just keep in mind a 680 being that much bigger (3000lbs) manuverability in soft ground and tight places will be more of a pita at times. Also I don't think an extendahoe is a necessity for digging . Just my opinion.

You are absolutely right, an extendahoe is not a necessity, but once you have used one, they sure are nice. I've noticed that they have come out in some of the skid steer hoes now.